Cowboys-Bengals: Five things to watch

Updated 9:47 pm, Saturday, December 8, 2012

Here's what Express-News staff writer Tom Orsborn says you should keep an eye on during today's game:

1. December doldrums settle in: The Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) are on a roll. The Dallas Cowboys (6-6) are trying to get on one.

Led by a suffocating defense that's risen from 20th to eighth in the NFL in yards allowed per game during their four-game winning streak, the Bengals are sprinting toward the finish line. The sluggish, slow-starting Cowboys have won two of their last three, but they didn't play well in any of those games, including last week's 38-33 win over Philadelphia.

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With four games left, the Cowboys are one game behind the New York Giants for first in the NFC East and one game behind Seattle for the conference's final wild-card spot.

One loss likely dashes Dallas' playoff hopes, meaning it basically has to win out to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

History, especially quarterback Tony Romo's, says the Cowboys won't do it. Romo is 10-14 in the regular season in December/January, including 1-4 last season when Dallas coughed up the division lead in the final month.

There's this: Romo is only 12-9 against the AFC, including 0-3 in December. The Bengals are 14-5-1 in their last 20 home games against NFC teams, including 13-5-1 under Marvin Lewis.

During Cincinnati's winning streak, coordinator Mike Zimmer's crew has allowed only eight red-zone trips and only one touchdown. Another impressive fact: It's a run in which the Bengals faced prolific passers Eli Manning, Carson Palmer and Philip Rivers and limited them to a combined passer rating of 65.2.

But none of those QBs was as hot as Romo, who in his last five outings has completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,587 yards with 10 TDs and only two interceptions for a rating of 105.5.

Cincinnati is averaging 3.2 sacks per game. Playing behind a weak offensive line, Romo has been sacked 28 times, eighth-most in the NFL.

All that pressure will force Dallas to max protect, which will reduce the effectiveness of tight end Jason Witten, who leads the team with 88 catches.

“Their front four really might be the best front we've gone against, and that's saying a lot with some of the other teams we've faced,” Romo said. “They're very disruptive.”

3. Struggling to stop run: The Cowboys' injury-riddled defense has allowed a running back to rush for 95 or more yards in four of the last five games. Three of those backs — Atlanta's Michael Turner, Washington's Alfred Morris and Philadelphia's Bryce Brown — rushed for more than 100 yards and at least one touchdown.

With those facts in mind and his own recent robust rushing performances under his belt, the Bengals' BenJarvus Green-Ellis could have a career day.

Green-Ellis, who signed with Cincinnati during the offseason after four years with New England, has rushed for 100 yards in three straight games. The last Bengals runner to put together such a streak was Corey Dillon in 1991.

4. Destination Dez: With their defense decimated by injuries, the Cowboys' playoff hopes hinge on whether their offense can continue to score in the 30s like it did the past two games.

And that's not a bad thing, considering the best player on the roster is wide receiver Dez Bryant. The former Oklahoma State star is playing the best football of his young career. In scoring two TDs each of the past two games, he displayed an unstoppable blend of speed and power.

“He looks like he's understanding the game a little more,” said Bengals cornerback Terence Newman, formerly of the Cowboys. “It's slowing down for him. He's played pretty spectacularly the last couple of weeks. I'm proud of him. He's taken a lot of criticism, but he's fought through it, fought his butt off and made himself better.”

5. Green day: Romo has Bryant, but Bengals QB and former TCU standout Andy Dalton has an even better target: A.J. Green. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound second-year pro from Georgia has 76 catches for 1,107 yards and 10 TDs.

“Oh, man, he's one of the best guys I've faced in the last couple of years for sure,” Newman said of Green. “He's got a great combination of size, speed and body control. Him and Dez are similar as far as when the ball is in the air, both can go up and make pretty much the impossible catch. But A.J. is taller and can run pretty good for being as tall as he is. He's got good lateral quickness and a burst once the ball is in the air. He's definitely blessed.”

Prediction

The Cowboys' playoff hopes unravel in the Jungle as Green-Ellis and Green run wild, and Zimmer's defense hands Romo a beating.